


Bats and Basslines

by TheGoblinWitch



Series: A Collection of Mini Monstrous Love Stories [2]
Category: Monster Girls | Monster Boys, Original Work
Genre: Affectionate Monster, Bat Creature - Original Monster Character, Gen, Human/Monster Romance, Lots of Cursing, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Teratophilia, This boy has a sailor's mouth, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-10-24 10:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20704382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGoblinWitch/pseuds/TheGoblinWitch
Summary: Niko liked to think he had his shit together. Not a good life by any means, but good enough. Then one night on the way home from a gig, he runs into the biggest bat he's seen in his entire life. The next thing he knows it's following him around like a lovesick puppy. He wonders if giant bats go against his lease agreement...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As always with my Monster Series pieces, this story can be read independently without reading the rest of this series. While all the stories are, unless otherwise stated, within the same Universe, they are independent stories and can be enjoyed individually. 
> 
> Also, this story focuses on a demi-sexual transman.  
There may or may not be mature content at a later chapter, though that is yet to be determined.  
If there is, it will probably not be explicit.  
If any of these aspects bother you, this fic is not for you.
> 
> As of now, this fic is projected to be between 3-4 chapters.
> 
> Now, on to our foul-mouthed boy and his batty companion~

Niko took a final drag from his joint, flicking the top of his zippo open and closed, fidgeting with it, before heading out.

He stood up with a groan, bones popping as he stepped away from the dimly lit brick wall behind the cafe. A hand ran through the maroon mohawk that graced his head, still holding standing tall from his show earlier that evening. His nose scrunched up at the feel of the mousse in his fingers, remembering too late that he’d yet to wash it out. He rubbed the texture off on his shirt, grumbling under his breath as he made his way out of the dark alley, only pausing to pick up the case containing his most valuable possession. 

He was just so… tired.

Another failed date after another mediocre show. 

He should be grateful. He knew that. Not everyone was as lucky as he was. He had a lot to be thankful for. He had a stable job that paid the bills. Even if it was just barely, they got paid. But he was never a man who needed much. He didn’t mind living hand to mouth, so long as he was surviving. 

He had a little loft of an apartment. He had access to healthcare and hormones through the local free clinic. He had a gig playing his bass with a local punk show at night most nights. And despite being a relatively average looking punk, he didn’t have a hard time picking up guys after shows. 

The problem with that always stood with the fact that picking up guys at shows meant they were generally looking to fuck around and not just… well, go out sometime. 

Not that Niko had an issue with an occasional fuck. But given the option? He’d pass. 

Why couldn’t someone just want to have a coffee, smoke a joint, cuddle up with a warm blanket, and talk music till dawn? Now that sounded amazing. 

Niko kicked a bottle that had offended him by daring to be in his path as he walked the derelict street. It shatter against the curb with a satisfying crash. The further he trekked, the more industrial the buildings began to look. 

Some many years ago, when the city was trying to bring in younger and fresher blood, they had renovated some run down mills and factories. Went and turned them into apartments. Most of them were pretty decent.

But of course there were slumlords looking to cash in as well. Which is how Niko found his little gem of a home. Cheap. Relatively spacious. High ceilings. And no one next door making noise complaints when he wanted to practice in the middle of the night. So long as he didn’t mind the lack of landlord response when it came to things like leaks and lack of hot water sometimes. And drafty windows. And how far on the outskirts it was.

Oh well. Shit happens, and it was a pretty even payoff. 

Niko glanced up just in time to see the familiar building just ahead, barely over the bridge. The sound of water lapping below him filled his ears as he crossed the narrow bridge. Once he’d just barely stepped onto solid ground again though, a shadow sweeping across the light of the streetlight above him caught his attention. 

Glancing up in confusion, he scanned the nearby area. Not seeing anything after a moment, he gave a shrug. “Fucking dumb ass bird or something.”

‘Do birds come out at night?’ He found himself wondering.

He continued on his trek, speeding up slightly now that he was within the final home stretch. His feet ached and he just wanted to collapse into bed. Thank God tomorrow was his day off. 

The sound of scratching on metal and shuffling caught his attention, making him freeze in place. 

Ever so slowly, his eyes swept to his side, slowly tracing up the lamppost he was now merely yards away from, towards the direction of the sound. His throat clenched, unable to take a breath as his head went light, as he took in the sight before him. A massive shadow seemed to hang from the lamppost, shifting and moving, and very much… alive.

Turning his head slowly, he took in the imposing figure. His blood ran cold as it shifted enough that the light caught it’s features. It looked like a massive bat. Except it had a massive maw of large, glistening teeth. 

‘More like fangs…’ He couldn’t help but think, as he watched them gnash at the thick coat of fur curling around its neck.

At least it seemed distracted. 

Niko took a step to the side, eyes locked on the hulking creature. ‘I just gotta get past it, nice and quiet. Then I can haul ass home and call animal control. Yeah. Totally. Fucking animal control. Then get absolutely plastered and forget I ever even saw this thing.’

Another step. Then another. So far so good. He was nearly parallel with the lamppost now! Victory was within his grasp!

Suddenly his boot crunched into a patch of gravel and he grit his teeth, eyes going wide in horror. That’s what preemptively celebrating got him.

The creature’s head whipped down and then looked in Niko’s direction, it’s neck twisting so that it’s face was upright and staring directly at him. One large ear flicked back and forth as dark eyes bore into him. It’s head cocked slightly as it watched him. The unnatural angle that it was craning at to stare at him wrenched Niko’s insides, keeping him frozen in place. 

After a moment longer of their locked stares, the creature began to shuffle, fleshy wings unwrapping from around a massive body. 

All of the built up tension in Niko snapped at once, panic breaking free as his fight or flight response kicked into full gear. He vaguely registered a clatter behind him and then the sound of gravel skidding under his boots when he took off towards his apartment. 

Heavy breaths strained in his chest. Running in his binder was hell, but he’d be damned if he was getting eaten alive tonight. 

Maybe he shouldn’t have watched Nosferatu so many times. 

Bolting up the stairs on the side of the building, he took the steps two and three at a time, holding onto the railing and propelling himself up as quickly as he could muster. By the time he was at his door his muscles burned and ached, the only thing warding off pain was sheer adrenalyn. He slammed into his door full force, digging into his pocket with shaking hands and barely managing to get the door open before collapsing onto it to close it. 

Niko took deep gasping breaths, a hand moving to his chest as he tried to regain his composure. He glanced around his apartment, getting up and shakily making his way to his sparsely furnished kitchen. Snatching a glass from the dish rack, he filled it with tap water, downing it greedily before slamming it down, still gasping for air. 

“Fuck… I’m gunna die… I get away from that thing, and I’m still gunna die…” 

Stumbling into the main part of his apartment, he leaned over, yanking his shirt off with a single hand. As soon as it was gone, he began to peel himself free from the oppressive binder. While this was already a chore he loathed, while being covered in sweat and already struggling to breathe, the feat was a new level of distressing. After what felt like forever though, he managed to get free from the compression top, slapping it onto the top of his clothing rack with a deep, relieved breath. 

His back and ribs ached, and his lungs burned in a way that they hadn’t in years. 

“I never wanna go through that again…”

He pressed a hand to a rib, letting out a hiss at the pressure. “Definitely thankful I’m off tomorrow… looks like I gotta go without for a day or two.”

Snatching a shirt with the sleeves ripped off from a hanger, he yanked it gingerly over his head, pacing over to the mattress that sat on the floor in the corner of the room. He collapsed into it unceremoniously, a sound that was a cross between a groan and a sigh escaping him as he melted into the sweet relief for his aching bones.

Just as he felt exhaustion pulling him in, the siren’s call of sleep tempting him, he jolted up, sitting up on his hands and knees. 

“My fucking bass!” 

A whine escaped him and he slid back down into the mattress, wrapping a pillow around his head as he let out a sob and covered himself in his favorite blanket. 

“Fuuuuuuck. Okay… Well. This is a problem for tomorrow Niko.” 

“Okay, maybe that isn’t a problem for tomorrow Niko?...” 

Niko sipped his coffee slowly as he stared at what sat before his feet. He had started his morning by wrapping up in a baggy hoodie and brewing coffee as dark as the bags under his eyes. Ignoring his horrendous bedhead, he opened his front door to begin his walk back to find his precious baby. He’d figure (aka, ardently hoped) that come daylight the creature would be long gone, and hopefully no one would have swiped his bass if he got back quickly enough. 

But when he opened his front door to head out, what else did he find laying on his doorstep… but his bass. 

He took a long sip from his mug, squinting at the case before him. “Well. That’s unsettling.” 

Leaning down, he looked around quickly, finding nothing outside out of the ordinary as he snatched up the case by the handle. Bringing it inside as quickly as he could, he slammed the door shut and locked it. 

Kicking his boots back off, he put the case on his bed and sat down next to it. Thoughts raced through his head as he tried to put pieces together to a puzzle he never wanted to be given. 

Another long sip from his cup and he gives a heavy sigh, putting it down on the floor next to him so he can pack himself a bowl and try to get his mind off of this mystery. 

Once finished, he settled further up the bed, his back against the wall and hooking his phone up to a speaker, blaring an old rock and roll song he couldn’t remember the name of. His gaze lingered over the pipe in his palm and then flicked to the bass’s case. 

“Was I just… high? Like… did I just get some really bad weed? Should I even be smoking this?”

Leaning forward, he shuffled the case into his lap, running his fingers over it. He paused when his fingers caught on a jagged indent in the edge that hadn’t been there before. His case was beat to hell, sure. But he knew this case better than the back of his hand. 

Flipping it so the side was facing upwards, he inspected the spot. 

Sure enough, there were jagged indents that looked like… claws? Maybe teeth? Something had definitely done that though.

Niko’s head dropped back and knocked against the wall with a thump. “Damn.”

Once evening fell, Niko had mostly managed to get his thoughts off of said worries. His hot water was working today, so a long hot bath soothed him to his core. He even washed his hair, and as always, found delight in the way his hair dye stained the bathwater like blood. He even sprawled out, letting his arms and legs hang from the tub, pretending he was some B-Horror movie victim, laughing to himself before rinsing off and getting out. The downside of his fun meant having to clean the bathroom. 

The old clawfoot tub was the one thing he liked in his loft and didn’t want it to go to shit, so he was careful not to let hair dye stains linger. 

By the time he was finished, his mind was at ease. Completely distracted, finally. 

Flicking open the case to his bass, he pulled the instrument out by the neck, draping it over his shoulder and plugging it into the amp he kept in the apartment. The feeling of the notes thrummed through him, the deep notes vibrating at that perfect frequency that made his chest purr and his insides clench. He closed his eyes and lost himself in the music as he thrummed away, his fingers working on autopilot. 

The sound of scratching on glass caught his attention and he glanced towards the sound. His hand yanked down the neck of the instrument, a sour, mechanical sliding sound following the action. 

Hanging down, staring directly into his windows, hung the very same massive creature from the night before. It’s eyes glinted in the dark, reflecting the light from the apartment as it watched him. It’s ears twitched, though it’s head stayed completely still. He could vaguely make out a talon-like finger clinging to the window from above. 

The damn thing was perched on the roof and looking in, clinging to his window. 

Niko swallowed hard, sweat making his palms slick. He slowly started to lift the strap from his bass over his head and placed it on his bed, sidestepping towards his bathroom. It was the only seperate room in the apartment. At least there he’d be out of sight. 

As he did, he watched the creature carefully. It’s stare followed him as he moved, until finally it’s gaze snapped away, staring intently again at the guitar that sat abandoned on his bed, next to its case. Niko paused, watching the creature for a moment as curiosity peaked within him. 

Ignoring his gut reaction to run or hide, he stepped back over towards his bed. He pointed at the bass, picking it up and locking eyes with the monster outside his window. 

“Did you… bring this back to me? When I… when I dropped it?”

The creature didn’t respond. Hell, it didn’t move. Not even an ear twitch. Something in its eyes flickered through though. Was that recognition? Niko wondered if it was. 

He lifted the strap over his head again, situating it before experimentally strumming a cord or two, watching the creature’s reactions. As soon as he started to play, it’s eyes lit up in fascination, it’s ears twitching and turning towards the source of the sound intently. 

A smile crossed the man’s face. 

“Oh, so you like that sound, buddy? Yeah… Me too.” 

Niko strummed a few more cords, eventually thrumming out a full rendition of a song or two. All the while, the monster watched, entranced. 

After awhile, he began to pack up the bass again, his fingers aching and desperately needing a break. By the time he was finished, he glanced up to his window again, curious if the creature was still watching him, to find only darkness staring back at him. 

“God fucking fuck, I hate you Todd.” Niko muttered curses at his manager under his breath as he power-walked home. The bastard had sprung last minute inventory on him, meaning he had to stay late at work to finish it up. Which normally, would only be a mild annoyance. 

But lately, Niko had been making a point of not going out after the sun had set. He had even cut back and only been doing shows a few nights a week so he could carpool with their drummer.

He looked around, hugging his jacket closer around himself as the street lights flickered above him. Sunset had come and gone. The chill of the night air licked at his cheeks. 

Suddenly the sound of wings flapping caught his attention as a flurry of wind kicked up at his back, causing his neck and the bare sides of his head to grow colder. 

He whipped around, anxiety rising. He had a gut feeling he already knew what the sound had been. 

Sure enough, he was right. 

Before him was the bat-like monster that he had stumbled across. That had stalked him back to his house. That had… been into bass? Weird. 

Seeing the creature on the ground was completely different from seeing it hanging from it’s perch before. Even splayed out on all fours, it was a hulking figure, easily a few inches taller than he was and with the muscle to back it up. Large, fleshy wings folded down it’s sides from it’s arms. Along its hands, it had what looked like two or three hook-like fingers with talon-like claws on them. The entire creature was covered from the tip of its nose, to its short tail, in dark, curly fur.

The creature stared at him intently for a moment before lumbering forward. It’s movements seemed slightly clumsy, it’s arms bowed out as it crawled on all fours. This thing was definitely some type of large bat from how it moved. Thanks National Geographic.

Niko stood as still as he could muster, as the creature came within an inch of him. It sniffed around him before settling on his face, meeting his eyes and watching them unrelentingly. 

Before Niko could process what was happening, the creature started to rise up, it’s back curling for a moment as it rose onto its haunches. Within moments, Niko’s head was tilted back in awe, having to crane to keep eye contact with the immense creature. 

Which now stood upright on its hind legs. Was it actually bipedal?

Niko’s jaw dropped as his brain tried to process what he was looking at.

Now at its full height, the monster must have been well over 7 feet tall. Muscled, winged arms hung low. Even at its full height, it’s claws were barely inches from the ground. And was it hunching its neck still? 

“You tall bastard.” Niko couldn’t help the muttered curse. 

The creature seemed to scowl at the statement. Eyes narrowing and ears flopping back like it had been scolded. 

Niko’s eyes widened at the reaction. 

“Hold up a fucking second. Did you understand that?”

The creature’s expression stayed cool and collected, simply staring down at him. 

Silence hung in the air as he received no response. 

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Niko grumbled to himself for a moment. The former fear he felt was slowly being replaced with annoyance. “Okay, look. Buddy. Big Guy. My Dude. What do you want?” 

Again, no response. 

Frustration quickly taking over, the man threw his hands up into the air in a fit, turning on his heal and storming away from the lumbering creature. 

His tracks stopped when he heard the sounds of clawed footsteps clicking behind him. 

Whipping around, he saw the creature briefly on all fours. As soon as he began to turn around it shot up onto its hind legs and stood tall, blinking owlishly at him. 

Niko squinted suspiciously at the creature, already onto it, unsure whether to be anxious or… well frankly he was unsure what to feel at all in that exact moment. 

Slowly, he turned around, listening to the sound of the gravel shifting behind him. He tentatively took a few steps forward. Sure enough, there was the sound of claws kicking up gravel off of concrete again.

Turning more quickly on his heel, he glared at the creature. It froze mid step, still on all fours. It scrambled to stand erect again. 

“Are you… are you following me?”

A guilty look crossed the creatures face.

“Why the fuck are you following me?”

Suddenly the beast’s ears flicked, the only indication it had heard him before launching itself away from him and towards the nearby building. 

Holding onto his chest from the momentary shock, Niko watched the creature scale the wall with ease until it was at the roof. Once it had made it there, it spared him a final passing glance before diving from the edge of the building, swooping low before flapping its massive wings and taking off into the pitch black sky. 

Niko stared after it in shock, whispering quietly to himself. “What the fuuuuuck…”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter wherein we find out that out batty boy is, in all actuality, just really shy.
> 
> As of now, this story is officially finished! Final chapter will be posted in a few days after I get around to editing it~
> 
> Thanks to everyone following along!

The following weeks passed in a manner that seemingly became... routine. Niko, regrettably, was finding himself increasingly less and less shocked with each appearance of the strange creature. It never DID anything. It just had this God awful habit of appearing out of nowhere and watching him. Frequently. 

He caught it staring and following him, making little to no attempt to hide it’s pursuit of him, more often than he was comfortable with. 

The discomfort eventually waned into acceptance as the creature, still making no hostile movements, simply faded into becoming a part of his routine. It was amazing what became the mundane after long enough exposure. 

There were multiple evenings when Niko had found himself coming home especially late from a shift or a gig, where he found his newfound companion discreetly ‘escorted’ him home. The sounds of claws on concrete and gravel trailing him, or the strong flap of massive wings could be heard. Always keeping just enough distance to leave a wide berth, but staying close enough to be within earshot. 

Which is what led Niko to the point he now found himself. Laying atop rumpled blankets in his bed, staring at the exposed rafters of his ceiling as his thoughts danced around. Fingers stretched high, reaching and trying to touch the tips as far as they would go while his mind ran a marathon.

“The big, furry bastard is always just… showing up out of nowhere! So he’s gotta live somewhere nearby. Right? I mean. Fuck. Those wings are huge. They have to be, to carry all of that muscle. He could be making it here from anywhere. Maybe a cave somewhere?”

His thoughts raced to think of any mountains or caves nearby, but nothing came up. This was the city, afterall. 

He sat up, humming to himself while deep in thought. Fingers grasped the edge of the bed as he kicked a foot out, scuffing his heel against the cold, concrete floor. 

His head jolted up, jaw setting firmly. “Nah. It wouldn’t make sense. That’s too much time and energy there and back. It’s too far to be practical. He’s gotta be holed up somewhere in the city. But where the fuck could a giant bat take up residence without SOMEONE noticing…” 

‘Well, besides me, I guess.’ The afterthought made Niko snicker. He’d browsed the web but found no rumors circulating of giant bat creatures locally. He’d even looked into vampire rumors but come up relatively empty. 

Niko mentally hashed through every instance the beast had revealed itself to him. Something was coming together, he could feel it. He just couldn’t place his finger on it. 

Then it all snapped into place.

The bridge! 

Every single time he’d encountered the damn thing had been near the fucking bridge. 

Niko glanced at the large windows lining his wall. It was still light out. He had an hour or two until sunset. 

Perfect. 

Rushing to the door, he yanked his boots on, not bothering to tie the laces before he stumbled out his door and down the familiar metal steps. 

Now that he had a theory, he was going to find out if it was right or not. 

Rushing towards the bridge, only pacing himself enough not to make his chest ache, his insides churned with excitement. 

Excitement? That couldn’t be right. 

Things had just been mundane for so damn long. And then this thing when and threw a wrench in his stable, perfectly functional life. And now he had a chance to find something out about it in return? 

Okay, yeah. He was fucking excited. 

Finally he made it to the bridge, panting less from exertion and more from nerves. His hands shook as he grabbed onto the railing and swung himself up onto it, letting his stomach hold his weight as he dunked his head low, dipping down to peer under the bridge. 

He searched the shadows under the bridge, disappointment starting to sink in. 

Just as he was going to give up, an especially large shadow caught his attention. 

Squinting, he stared it down. After a few moments of holding his breath, he saw it shift slightly. 

A bark of a laugh escaped the man. 

The sound made the hulking shadow stir slightly, shifting so that a furry head started to burrow out from the massive wings. It’s face was still covered, while two large ears flicked around in search of the sound that had disturbed it’s slumber. 

Bubbling laughter began to rise from Niko’s chest. Oh, man. He’s been so, so right, and it felt GREAT. 

His feeling of glory was short lived, panic shooting through him when he felt his balance waver though. 

In his excitement, he leaned too far forward, trying to get a better look at the familiar shadow. Just enough so that he lost his footing, his feet slipping in his unlaced boots, and felt himself teetering forward. 

His stare shot down, no longer focused on the creature and instead looking in terror at the water passing below. He vaguely recalled being a weak swimmer, his panic suddenly increasing tenfold. 

That moment of panic was his, literal, downfall though. Trying to regain his footing, he instead found himself flailing, sending himself slipping the rest of the way over the guard rail. 

“FUCK! No! Nonononono! HELP!”

Niko screamed, terror saturating his cry for help. 

He felt his chest squeeze, taking a deep inward breath and clenching his eyes tightly, waiting for the inevitable crash into the water. 

In its stead, he felt a harsh jerking motion that knocked the wind out of him. A vice-like grip held him tightly, clenching around his arm and at his torso on the opposite side.

He opened his eyes to see the beast itself, in all it’s furry glory, clinging to him. It beat it’s arms as they glided, keeping them in the air with ease. Clawed feet had snatched him from his watery fate in a panic. 

Niko stared up at it in awe. “Oh, man. Buddy. I have NEVER been so happy to see you in my entire life!” 

The creature glanced down at him. It seemed to pause at his words. 

As he was finally used to it’s silence, Niko no longer expected a response. 

Which was why he was absolutely shell-shocked when the damn thing proceeded to angrily chitter and squawk at him in a tongue that he had absolutely NO way of understanding. 

Didn’t bats use echo-lacation? What was this nonsense? This sounded like an angry dolphin, what with all the clicking. 

He stared up, absolutely stunned as the creature proceeded to metaphorically chew him out; lecturing him in its native tongue. 

By the time it was finished, it had made its way back to under the bridge, where it proceeded to drop Niko on an exposed beam. Niko clung to said beam, glancing between the water below and the bottom of the bridge a few feet above his head. 

He turned to look at the monster, who was clambering back to its original spot and getting comfortable. He vaguely thought he heard more clicks under its breath, but it was far too muffled to tell for certain.

The creature managed to get itself situated, now hanging upside down and staring Niko down as its wings wrapped tightly around itself. Now that it was situated, it looked significantly less irritable. 

Niko adjusted so that he was straddling the beam, facing the furry beast. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did I interrupt your beauty sleep?” A smirk played at his lips as he taunted.

The creature’s features turned irritable again as a slew of chitters escaped it. It’s head pointedly looked at the water below before looking to Niko again. 

Silence overtook them and a flush crept up Niko’s neck. 

Mesage fucking received. 

A hand crept to the back of his neck. “Yeah… about that. Sorry. And… and thanks.”

The monster’s features softened, returning to their usual expression. At least that had seemed to smooth things over between them. 

Niko leaned forward on the bean, watching the creature watch him. “So… what should I call you? Like… do you have a name?”

The creature stared back at him owlishly. 

“Oh...oh-kayyyy… so I’m gunna assume no name. Or at least none you can tell me. Because, hey, you can fucking talk! What was all that earlier? You’ve been fucking lying by omission, you jerk. Here I thought you were mute or some shit! You’ve been holding back on me!”

The creature gave an unamused stare, but gave no response beyond that. 

Niko’s fingers rubbed against his knees as his thoughts wandered. His ministrations stopped as a thought crossed his mind. A laugh started to rumble in his chest, bubbling out until he was in near side splitting laughter. 

The creature stared in confusion at his outburst, waiting for him to explain what was so amusing. 

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Niko took a breath. “So, since you ARE my hero now and all. I can’t pass up the opportunity… I gotta call you something, anyway. How do you like the sound of Bruce, huh? That check out with you?” Niko was still having to retain shakes of laughter as he spoke. 

The creature seemed to mull it over for a moment, ultimately not caring, and most likely not understanding the pop-culture reference. They did seem wary of Niko’s continuing laughter at the name though. 

Niko waved a hand dismissively at the creature. “I promise! I promise it’s not bad! It’s a reference! I’ll even show you sometime! He’s cool. He’s a hero and he saves people and stuff! Plus, he’s the strong silent type. Which, c’mon!” 

Niko mentally mused over the stereotype of said hero’s edginess and barely contained another fit of laughter. 

The prospect of sharing a name with ‘a cool hero’ who seemed to have so much of Niko’s admiration stroked the creatures ego though. It gave the tiniest content nod, a toothy grin splitting it’s face in an almost feral look. 

Well that was certainly a new expression. 

This thing had a grin that could make kids wet themselves. 

So why was it making Niko warm and fuzzy? 

‘Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope nooooope. Not going there. Nope.’ He mentally berated himself. 

Returning the toothy smile, Niko couldn’t help a final chuckle from escaping him. 

“Well. Then I guess it’s nice to finally meet you, Bruce…”

The two of them stayed under the bridge for another hour or so. Initially, Niko assumed it was because the creature, no, Bruce now, was going to go back to sleep. But instead he stayed awake, watching the human across from him with intrigue the entire time.

Once the colors of the sky began to change, indicating the start of nightfall, Bruce clambered down from his perch and gripped Niko around his shoulders. Before the man could protest, they were free falling and then gliding upwards, heading in the direction of Niko’s home. 

It was by no means a comfortable ride, but the creature had made a pointed effort to hold the man carefully this time. No claws gripped into him while he still held a secure grasp. It also didn’t take nearly as long to arrive as it would have by foot. Mere minutes passed before Niko saw the stairs leading to his apartment coming into view. 

The wind blew past his face, taking his breath away. “Wow… this is pretty fuckin’ cool…”

Bruce turned his head down to eye the human in his grip and gave a toothy grin, his attention returning to his trajectory after a split second. His long, furred neck stretched forward, enjoying the feel of the wind as well as it ruffled the curls of his fur.

As they reached the familiar building, Bruce brought them high above the building, swooping down low enough to drop Niko as gently as possible on his front step. Even with the gratuitous placement, Niko managed to lose his balance and slam flat on his ass. 

A string of curses that would make a sailor blush tumbled from his lips as he clambered back up. 

He glanced up just in time to see Bruce land on the edge of the rooftop, clinging to it easily with both sets of claws. The creature craned it’s head to watch him from it’s position. 

Niko couldn’t help but ‘hum’ and ‘haw’ in that moment. He wasn’t sure what possessed him to have such thoughts, but they indeed began to wander…

He eyed the creature and looked at his front door. There was no way, ever, he’d be able to get in through there. It wasn’t possible. 

Why was he thinking about letting a giant bat into his house again? 

He’d lost his damn marbles. 

Oh well. Sanity was overrated. 

His gaze slid to the oversized, arched industrial windows that lined his outer wall. 

Now there was an idea.

Niko dug into his pockets for his keys with haste. As soon as the lock clicked, he looked up to the creature watching him from above. 

Pointing a finger at it, he sternly waggled the digit at it. “Stay! I’ll be right back.”

‘God, it’s like I have a giant fucking dog now, huh?’

A large ear twitched in reaction, the other flipping back and laying flat. It was as good of a reaction as he was going to get. 

Making his way into the apartment, he dug around in his closet until he found what he was looking for. 

The stepladder and his tool box. 

With some finagling, he managed to pop the locks holding the windows shut completely open. While he worked at the window’s edge, the creature outside stared curiously.

It watched meticulously as the human worked, dangling upside down at the perfect height to have a front row seat for the task. 

On the sole occasion when Niko managed to fuck up gloriously and slice his own thumb open while removing the lock from the wall, he was immedietely repremanded. Clicks and chitters escaping bared teeth. 

Niko yanked the offending lock the rest of the way from the wall. With it, the window finally cracked open a smidge. “Fine! Jesus Christ, stop bitching! It’s not like it was on purpose! Who’s the one even bleeding here? Bitch!” 

Niko grumbled under his breath as he clambered down the ladder, moving towards the sink so he could run the shallow cut under water to clean it out and inspect how bad the wound actually was. Thankfully not bad at all. He shouted over his shoulder. “See? I’m fucking fine, you big baby. I just slipped taking the lock off. It’s not even deep. I’m just a bleeder.” 

Turning around, he watched as the immense creature nudge the window opened. 

After pausing for a moment to inspect the open space, it clambered in, gripping the ceiling and clinging to an exposed support beam while still hanging upside down. 

Surprisingly, it had the awareness to tug the window shut behind it, using a clawed hind foot to yank it closed before finishing it’s descent. 

Once it was fully situated in the rafters, it began to sniff around, curiosity obvious on it’s features as it glanced around the apartment. It had seen inside before, plenty of times, having watched Niko play his bass late into the night many times. It had become one of it’s favorite things to do. The sounds mesmerizing and the sight of the human enthralled in them as well was infatuating. 

But this was completely new territory and the intrigue was overwhelming. 

Niko fought back a smirk, enjoying seeing the creature so out of its element. It was nice to see it’s cool composure broken. 

It took it’s creep factor down significantly, if he was being honest. 

Leaving it to its own devices for a moment, Niko went to his bathroom, taking a moment to bandage the small cut on his thumb. He returned moments later, just in time to hear a muffled ‘THUMP’.

Peering out of the doorway and into the main part of the loft, he saw his furry companion had dropped down onto the floor of the apartment. He now stood on his hind legs, upright and walked with a wide gait around the apartment.

Niko slipped into the room,making his way into the kitchen where he began to make himself something to eat. The grumbling in his gut reminded him that he hadn’t eaten in hours and suddenly could NOT wait. So, he went about heating some pizza rolls while he watched the creature currently exploring his apartment. 

Every inch of his loft was inspected. Every item sniffed and looked at meticulously. Some items lifted awkwardly in clawed fingers that looked like they had difficulty turning and rotating the pieces sufficiently. Niko couldn’t imagine they were really meant to be used like hands. But Bruce certainly seemed to be making it work.

Niko popped the frozen rolls into his countertop toaster oven. As he did, his gaze slid over his bandaged hand. 

Turning his attention to his new companion, he spoke up, curiosity of his own overflowing. 

“Hey! Bruce!”

The creature’s head whipped towards him, ears turning to face him at the mention of the new name. Well, he was answering to it. Looks like it was sticking. 

Niko looked at his hand for a moment before looking up at Bruce again, eyeing the large fangs gracing his maw. Sharp teeth meant a predator… right?

“What do you even fucking EAT dude? Like… I don’t need to worry right? Is this just some long haul hunt and you’re gunna eat me? Or what?”

Bruce’s eyes narrowed for a moment. 

Oh shit. Now what was that look? 

Had he been right? Or did he offend the beast? 

Niko jumped back, clinging to the countertop when the creature leapt from it’s spot.

Instead of leaping towards the man though, it launched itself from the window, leaving the open glass hanging behind it. 

A nervous breath escaped barely parted lips. “Okay then. I guess he didn’t like that question. Good to know. No food talk.”

Niko gave the open window a fleeting glance. He started to go towards it, intending to close it. Maybe put a new lock on it. But something stopped him. 

He found himself only closing it partially. Leaving it open enough that it could easily pushed open. 

It wasn’t much later that Niko found himself sitting cross-legged on his kitchen counter. A mountain of way too hot pizza rolls on a plate that he repeatedly burnt his mouth on as he devoured them. Letting them cool first? What was he? A sissy? Third degree tongue burns just gave them more manly flavour, obviously. 

He took another merciful chug from a cold glass of water, choking when the sound of the window creaking open startled him. 

Jerking towards the sound, he watched as a familiar figure slunk back into his apartment. 

This time, instead of making his way into the rafters, he merely clambered onto the floor. Warry to step over various items blocking his way just below the window. 

Niko made a mental note to rearrange and clear out from under said window. Just in case. 

Clearing his throat, Niko eyed the returning creature in confusion. “Bruce! Heyyyyy, buddy. Back so soon? What, uh… what was all that about?”

The sound of Niko speaking up seemed to snap Bruce’s attention up to him. The hulking figure stumbled a bit. It maneuvered something in its arms, peaking Niko’s curiosity more. Wide eyes watched the man as it made its way into the center of the loft, where there was a decently clear area. 

Once there, it made itself comfortable on the floor. All the while, it never broke eye contact with the man. It’s winged arms stayed curled around whatever it had returned with. 

“Uuuuuuh… Bruce. C’mon, Big Guy. What’cha got there?” 

Niko slid from the countertop, putting down the plate and stepping cautiously towards the large figure.

A cautious glance broke from the man and slipped to the creatures own claws for a moment, as if it was considering it’s actions. Deciding whether or not to show off what was in it’s winged arms.

Just as panic was starting to settle into Niko’s mind, Bruce slid sharp claws gently around the object, revealing it with a toothy grin. 

Niko’s mind blanked as he processed what he was looking at. 

It took him a moment to finally force out the obvious question.

“Bruce. Is that a fucking watermelon?”

The tooth-riddled smile only seemed to widen. 

Niko’s arm flew up in exasperation. 

“Why in the shit eating fuck did you steal a watermelon, Bruce??”

The look he got in return was not lost in translation. ‘Are you stupid?’

Niko scowled, crossing his arms. 

Recognition finally hit him like a ton of bricks though as he saw the toothy maw gape open wide. Leaning down into the fruit, sharp teeth tore into it as if it was nothing, quickly getting to the soft, juicy ‘meat’ of the fruit.

Niko recalled the question from earlier, and Bruce’s reaction of launching out the window. He muttered under his breath, eyes wide as saucers as he watched the creature devour the massive fruit. “You’re a giant fucking fruit bat!”

The curly furred head raised slightly from it’s meal, wetness dripping from its mouth as it grinned at his statement before returning to gorge on the remaining juices and pulp. 

Niko silently grabbed his own food again, sitting cross-legged on the floor next to Bruce and watching him eat, amazement leaving him slack-jawed between bites. 

He watched as an impossibly long tongue unfurled from the beasts mouth, slipping into the fruit to savor as much of the juices as it could, occasionally drawing in a chunk of the tender pink meat of the fruit. 

After a few minutes, the creature’s eyes lolled up, watching Niko watch it eat. 

It paused, maw still in it’s meal, before pulling away. It eyed the remaining bites of food on his plate, giving them a tentative sniff before scowling at the unappealing smell. As soon as the disgust crossed it’s face, a softer tone returned. 

Looking down to the remaining fruit in it’s claws, it crudely ripped out a fist sized chunk from the melon and extended it towards the human. Drops of sticky, pink juice dribbled from the piece as it held it out expectantly towards the man. 

Niko stared at the wad of fruit being offered to him. “Oh. Shit. Uh…” 

He watched as it dripped from the creatures clawed grasp, juice collecting onto the floor between them, glancing up at the hopeful look in it’s eyes. Fuck. Why did it seem so much more expressive all of the sudden? And why did he care?

Niko reach out and took the fruit, nodding in thanks. 

He noticed Bruce still watching, almost expectantly. 

Oh. Okay.

Drawing his hand to his mouth, Niko took a bite from the fruit. It was sweet and juicy, which was surprising considering they were out of season. He silently wondered where Bruce had gotten it from.

Delight filled the creature’s eyes and it immediately dove back into its own portion of the melon with new vigor. 

A smile subconsciously crossed the man’s face at the sight, and he took another bite of the fruit. He let the subtly sweet flavor fill his mouth, swallowing before lowely speaking, more to himself than his companion. “Now just when the fuck did you start being cute…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are appreciated! I hold them dearly in my grubby little goblin hands and read each and every one and cherish them, as they motivate me to put out content quicker~


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! Thanks for sticking around through this short story!   
We finally get to see this wrap up with a neat little bow for Niko and Bruce.   
I hope you've enjoyed their tale as much as I have~

Niko stirred as the sounds of heavy metal riffs tried to pry him from the comfortable grasp of his dreams. Groaning loudly, he slipped a single eye open just enough to glance at his phone, his gaze still foggy with sleep.

He swiped the alarm away, silencing the damned noise. 

It was already well into the afternoon, but he was just so damn tired. 

His hours at work had been increasing, thanks to the winter season approaching. Which, on the one hand, he was grateful for. Longer hours meant more money. This time of year was when he could be liberal with his funds, or squirrel away a nice nest egg for any major emergencies the rest of the year. 

However, it also left him in a near constant state of utter exhaustion. The cold weather already made his joint ache more than usual. More work just increased that suffering, as well. 

All around, this time of year he just tended to stay very tired and very achy. 

Thank fuck for good weed and living in a legal state.

Niko rolled over, an arm flopping dramatically to drape over his head. His eyes flicked upwards, settling on the massive shadow settled in the rafters. 

Bruce hung from a support beam, his head tucked contentedly away in his wings and slumbed away without a care in the world. Subtle breathes rumbles from him, an occasional huff making the creature’s body heave slightly. 

Ever since Niko had opened his home to the beast, it had started to come and go rather liberally. The first few times, the man found himself jumping every time he heard the window creak open, signaling the creature coming or going without any warning at all times of the night. 

But he quickly grew used to the noises.

His shock returned tenfold though, when he awoke one morning to find his new companion had taken up roost in his rafters while he had been asleep himself. That had been a startling first. 

Until that point, by the time he woke up and the sun was rising, the creature was usually long gone, having returned, he assumed, to its place beneath the bridge. 

Since that initial morning, he found himself waking to Bruce’s slumbering form above him more often than not. 

Giving the sleeping creature one last glance, Niko rolled over with a groan. Kicking his legs into the air and then swinging them down, over the edge of the mattress, he used the momentum to pull himself from his bed. A grumble escaped him as he popped his joints one by one, stretching out his aches as he stumbled towards his kitchen to partake in a little wake and bake before heading out for the day. 

It was finally his weekend, and he had slept most of the first day of it away. So he couldn’t putter around the house long, sadly. He peeked into his fridge to find it more sparse than usual.

Oh yeah. Fucking groceries. 

Niko quietly clicked the fridge closed, mentally cursing. Looks like he was heading out sooner than expected. 

He silently thanked the cold air, foregoing his binder and layering up in both a hoodie and his leather jacket. “Most fucking wonderful time of the year.” A smile crept across his face.

Lacing up his boots, he took a last minute glance in his mirror. He might feel tired and achy, but at least he felt good besides that. 

Locking the door behind him, he took a deep breath, revelling in the cool air before starting his long trek to the market. 

It was a long walk, of course. But he enjoyed it. It got some energy out. A voice in the back of his mind lectured him that he should have forked out for a cab or called a rideshare. His bones would hate him for this later. But he wanted to enjoy the weather. He could always save the money and call one on the way back.

Some time later, he found himself perusing the aisles of the small corner market, a basket dangling from his arm. Only a few items sat in the cart. Absolute bare essentials, and all. 

He found himself stopping, backstepping and staring at a large end-cap. His lips pursed in thought.

Decision made, he stepped up to the end-cap covered in fruit, eyeing the variety before him. A quick glance at a couple price tags had him cringing. And here was why he didn’t by fruit off season. Not that he was an especially healthy person to begin with. He glanced guiltily at the premade meals in his basket. Mostly things he could pop in his toaster oven and be done with.

Sighing, he returned his attention to the various fruits before him. 

“Oh well. Not like I can’t spare it right now.”

Realization crossed his mind that he had zero idea what fruits the damn monster could eat. He only knew of one and there wasn’t a single watermelon in sight. Not that he looked forward to the idea of lugging one home, even if he’d found one.

“Fuck it. Buffet time. You better appreciate this, Bruce.” 

His resolve set, Niko started pick out a variety from the mountain of fruit. He even swiped up some squash and a small pumpkin. Fuck it. 

By the time he was done, his basket was overflowing with fruits and vegetables and was heavy enough to make his arm ache. Too late to look back now. He’d look ridiculous putting all of this back. And if there was one thing he was, it was committed. 

At least, that’s what he thought until he found himself at about the halfway mark back to his apartment. The heavy bags of groceries only seemed to drag him down and grow heavier with each weary step. Maybe he should have caved and gotten that rideshare after all. Or not bought so much damn produce.

His arms were gunna fall off any minute. Or his feet were going to sink into the earth, never to be seen again. 

This was how he died. He just knew it.

Trying to carry an obscene amount of food, most of which wasn’t even for him, home from the grocery. 

A string of curses tumbled from his lip when a dark shape in the distance caught his attention. 

He glanced around to realize his trek had been taking longer than usual. It was twilight. And in the distance, heading straight for him, was none other than the big guy himself. 

A smirk pulled at Niko’s lips. ‘Good. I’ll make him carry it then.’

The creature caught sight of the man as he neared him, chattering away excitedly. He landed carefully on a nearby overhang, watching the human stumble down the empty street. Ears twitched, curiosity overtaking him as he watched each step finally still, their eyes meeting. 

Niko gave a quick glance, making sure there was no one else around. He was unsurprised that there wasn’t. Bruce seemed to have a knack for showing up when he was alone. He seemed to have enough built in self preservation to not want to be seen, thankfully. 

Sure that they were alone, Niko lifted the bags up, giving them a shake. “Hey! I got groceries! I’m tired as fuck. Mind giving me a hand?”

Bruce quirked his head, seeming to process the request as he eyed the bags, but gave no immediate response. 

Niko gave them another shake. “Pretty please? I even got you something~”

His voice had a sing-song lilt to it, a smile crossing his face. 

Sharp teeth turned upward into an elated grin, surprised glee evident on the creature’s face. 

With a hard jump from the overhang, the monster leapt into the air, wings immediately spread wide to keep itself from falling. Strong flaps causing bursts of wind to kick up around the street below. Lunging downward, towards the man, his claws extended, outstretched and grasping.

Niko held the bags higher for a moment, in offering. His eyes went wide and the wind was knocked out of his lungs though, when instead of grabbing the bags, Bruce simply snatched him up instead. 

Niko barely registered the air whipping across his face, his stomach doing flips. “Oh, okay! I guess we can do this instead! I meant the fucking bags, not me!” 

A series of clicks responded overhead, not even sparing him a glance as they veered towards Niko’s building. 

Giving in to the situation, Niko relaxed as much as he could muster, going limp in the creature’s firm grip. He held tightly to the bags, and closed his eyes, relishing in the weightless feeling and the cool air rushing past. 

He was loathe to admit it, but the feeling was growing on him. The occasional surge jolted through him as Bruce’s wings beat the air, keeping them airborne, but even that wasn’t nearly as jarring as he suspected it would have been. 

He leaned his head back, warms curls of fur pressing into the back of his head. 

A rumbling purr escaped the creature above him. 

Now where the fuck did that come from? 

Before Niko could question it, he felt the weightless feeling ebb away, gravity returning as he was placed on his doorstep. 

Glancing up, he saw Bruce already clambering into the window, making his way into the apartment. 

Following suit, he entered the loft,dropping the bags onto the kitchen counter with a relieved sigh. 

The moment he had, Bruce was behind him, placing his head on Niko’s shoulder and snuffling with interest. 

Niko placed a hand on the bat-like face, laughing loudly and shoving it back. “Okay! Okay! Personal space! Fuck! Have some patience, buddy.” 

Bruce huffed and clicked, but crawled away on all fours. Once he was around the counter, he placed his head on the kitchen counter, inches away from the grocery bags and staring Niko down. 

Rumbling laughter bubbled out of the man at the sight. “Oh, c’mon. No tantrums. Here. I didn’t know what you could eat. So I got you a variety. Anything you don’t like, I guess… I don’t know, I guess I’m learning to like fucking fruit and vegetables too? Can you even eat vegetables?” 

Niko started pulling the assorted produce from the bags. Everything from grapes, apples, bananas, and papaya… to squash, zucchini, and starfruit. Niko hadn’t wanted to leave any bases uncovered. At least not on this first trip, so he’d have a better idea for next time. 

Bruce’s eyes lit up like fireworks as the sight unfurled before him. A shrill chittering noise escaped him and his ears stood on end. 

‘He looks like an excited puppy. Fucking hell.’ Niko bit back a laugh at the sight. 

An almost questioning glance slid from the buffet of fruit on the countertop, up towards Niko’s face. 

The man waved it off, grabbing his own food and stuffing it into the fridge for later consumption. 

“It’s all you, man. Dig in. Just don’t go eating it all at once. Shit wasn’t cheap. I have no idea how big of an appetite you have so I just kinda hope you aren’t gunna be eating me out of house and home.” The last part was said with a laugh. 

As soon as the words were said, Bruce snatched up a select few pieces of the produce. Niko made a mental note of which ones so he could prioritize those next time. 

He glanced over as the creature hunkered down, excitedly crunching into the pumpkin, tearing into it and beginning to devour it from the inside out, seeds and all. 

Groceries sufficiently taken care of, Niko pulled out his laptop and got situated comfortably on his bed. Wrapping himself in his favored blanket to ward off the chill in the apartment, he busied himself with the mundane ‘chores’ of his day. Checking the news. Paying bills. Replying to ignored emails. Things of that sort, while listening to the sound of his companion munch away.

He scrolled through his social media for a moment, needing a moment’s distraction from the humdrum of getting ‘adult’ things done, when a post reminded him of something in particular. 

He gave a glance at the creature across the room, who was finally finishing it’s meal. It looked content, it’s long tongue cleaning the sticky wet remnants of fruit pulp from it’s maw and the surrounding fur. The curls in it’s fur stuck up in odd directions as it went about grooming itself happily. Occasionally, long claws would raise up to scratch at its face and neck, or pick at a patch of the fur to assist in the cleaning. 

A smile split Niko’s face. 

Yeah. He deserved an honest to fuck night off. And this would be a hilarious way to spend it.

“Bruce.”

The creature’s head whipped to look at him, turning lopsided as it’s attention was fully on him. 

“Let’s have a movie night.”

Confusion bled into the creature’s eyes as it squinted at him. 

Niko waved it over, indicating for it to come closer. 

Still wary, the creature complied, scuttering over on all fours. Niko gave the bed a pat, scooting forward. This at least, the creature seemed curiously happy about. 

It tentatively slipped onto the bed, nearly taking up the entire mattress in the process. Curling around Niko, it laid on it’s side, it’s head wrapping to the side to see what he was doing. 

Niko scooted his butt back again, fully leaning into the warmth of the creature wrapped behind him. He wrapped an arm over it’s head and grinned. 

“Remember I said the name Bruce was after a hero? I think it’s about time you learn about your namesake.” 

Bruce’s eyes shone with curiosity as he settled in. 

Pulling up the movie, Niko pressed play on the laptop screen. That night they made it through three separate representations of the vigilante hero. He half wondered in Bruce would have another tantrum once he found out the source behind his nickname. 

Oh, how wrong Niko was. 

The creature’s eyes lit up like stars as they watched the films together. Even the cheesiest one, back from before even Niko’s childhood. 

The creature found itself entranced with the characterization, absolutely reveling in it. With each movie’s end, it looked to Niko with questioning eyes that said a single thing. ‘More?’

Niko laughed heartily at the response. 

“Oh no, I’ve created a monster.” 

The two of them spent the entire evening curled up on the bed, watching films. Niko enjoyed the warmth of the creature behind him, finding himself burrowing into the warmth of the monster’s fur. His arm stayed draped across the other, fingers scratching behind a softly twitching ear absentmindedly. 

He hadn’t even noticed the action until a rumble escaped Bruce’s chest, making Niko’s very chest vibrate as he lay across him. 

A smile danced across his face, pausing only for a moment before repeating the action. He found himself rewarded with the same loud purr. 

All the while, the creature’s attention never strayed from the film. Revelling in the affection it was receiving while it was entranced in the new and exciting character. 

Come morning, Niko found himself waking up feeling extraordinarily warm. It felt… so amazing. So comforting. He never wanted to leave his bed. He vaguely registered a steady thumping sound, firmly resonating through him. It was so comfortable though. All it did was soothe something deep inside him, lulling him back to sleep and urging him to give in to the tiredness pulling him down again. 

He grabbed at his blanket to pull it tighter around him, fingers gripping into it, only to realize with a groan that what his fingers slid into was not his blanket at all. 

Soft, thick curls of fur gripped between his fingers. A musky, almost animal smell, with a sweet fruity undertone filled his nostrils. 

Cracking an eye open, he glanced around. A massive, fleshy wing was wrapped snugly around him as his body burrowed into a furry, broad torso. The few clawed fingers on the end of the winged arm clung to Niko’s opposite shoulder, holding him tightly to the creature. 

He glanced upwards to see the creature’s head tucked downward, it’s head craned low so that it’s chin was tucked into its neck and chest, and tilted towards his own face. Soft, warm breaths huffed on Niko’s face as the monster slumbered. 

They were both still in Niko’s bed. His laptop haphazardly shoved to the foot of the mattress and about to topple to the floor. They must have fallen asleep curled up together during the last movie. 

Niko contemplated squirming free from the creature’s grip so he could get up, but found himself unsure if he could. 

Even more confusing, he found himself unsure if he wanted to.

‘No.’ He found himself thinking. ‘That’s a fucking lie and I know it.’

Old thoughts began to resurface. He knew how he really felt. 

Things had become comfortable since Bruce showed up. At least, since he got used to the big lug being around. It felt so good to have someone around to just be there. No expectations. No unnecessary talking. But still have that company and not be alone.

At some point he had berated himself. A dog could have accomplished the same thing. 

But no. As much as he struggled with the initial though, he savored the subtle affections. The intelligence that was there that made things feel equal. Besides. Even if they didn’t talk traditionally, it wasn’t like they hadn’t been communicating in their own way. It was like having another person around, without all the parts that he hated. 

Bruce wasn’t a pet. Bruce was a companion. And moments like this, wrapped in a wing, listening to the beast’s heart, there was no denying that fact.

Giving in to the feeling, Niko sank into the warmth below him, a shuddering sigh escaping him. 

Shuffling his arms slightly, he wrapped them around Bruce’s massive torso, holding on tightly. 

The action made the creature stir slightly, dark eyes blinking open and staring down at the human he was curled around with half lidded eyes. 

A smile greeted the creature, the daylight making the entire room much brighter than either cared for. 

Leaning it’s large head further down, the creature began to snuffle at Niko’s face and hair, ruffling the locks slightly as it’s eyes closed. 

Niko couldn’t suppress a laugh at the ticklish feeling. 

The giggle of a laugh seemed to only encourage the monster more, causing it to shift so it could grab at Niko, holding him in it’s lap as it continued to lather his face and neck with sniffs and gentle rubs. 

It began to rub its face and neck across him, letting it’s scent glands leave faint traces of their touch remain. Much later, Niko would find himself wondering why the sweet fruity scent followed him wherever he went, even when he was nowhere near the creature. 

Niko quirked an eyebrow at the affectionate action, placing a hand on the side of the bat’s face.

“Yeah. Yeah. I love you too, buddy…” 

The words made the creature’s face light up, joy radiating from it. In an instant in continued it’s gentle touches with vigor. Soft rubs turning into nips and licks across Niko’s entire face, neck, and hair. 

Niko chuckled into the touch, a smile escaping him when the long tongue stops to take it’s time to drag slowly up his neck and cheek.

Niko let out a feigned sound of disgust. “Bruce! Buddy! I get it! Fuck, I am so getting you back!”

Lunging forward, Niko wrapped his arms around the creature’s neck rubbing his own cheek against the fur on the side of the monster’s face, mimicking it’s movements. As he pulled away, he left a purposely exaggerated smack of a kiss in the same spot. 

The creature made a shrill, excited noise, a toothy grin splitting it’s face as he withdrew. 

He raked his fingers through the soft curls, scratching lightly up the sides of its face and pulling it down so he could press it’s forehead to his own. 

“C’mon. It’s way too early. How about we go the fuck back to sleep. We can pick this back up later, ok?” 

Seemingly content with that idea, the creature’s chest rumbled softly. Laying back down, it curled around Niko, pulling into him and cocooning them within its massive wings. 

For the first time in a long time, Niko fell asleep warm, the bitter winter chill that always seemed to seep it’s way into the apartment a distant thought as he burrowed into the fur of his companion and partner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and kudos are my lifeblood! They are greatly appreciated and I cherish every single one. 
> 
> I have multiple short stories and one-shots planned for this monster anthology but am always looking for suggestions or requests~  
What beastie do you, the readers, want to see me write for next? Let me know!


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